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VanLaanen Lands Sochi Spot

Angeli VanLaanen secured her spot on the first-ever Olympic team for halfpipe skiing Saturday with her win at the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix. (Riley Steinmetz/U.S. Freeskiing)

PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 18) – Angeli VanLaanen (Bellingham, WA) secured her spot on the first-ever Olympic team for halfpipe skiing Saturday with her win at the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix. Brita Sigourney (Carmel, CA) put down another impressive run finishing second with double-threat Devin Logan (West Dove, VT) in third. The rest of first-ever U.S. Olympic team for slopestyle and halfpipe skiing will be nominated during a ceremony Saturday night.

HIGHLIGHTS

Angeli VanLaanen (Bellingham, WA) secured her spot on the first-ever Olympic team for halfpipe skiing Saturday with her win at the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix.

Brita Sigourney (Carmel, CA) put down another impressive run finishing second with double-threat Devin Logan (West Dove, VT) in third.

VanLaanen joined Sigourney and Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, CA) as the third U.S. woman to clinch a spot on the Olympic team.

In addition to Olympic qualification, athletes have been competing for a total of $500,000 in cash prizes throughout the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix tour, including a bonus $2,500 award for the overall tour winner in women’s halfpipe skiing.

QUOTESAngeli VanLaanenI’m on top of the world right now. I just went out and skied my best and it felt amazing to land my run and it’s a dream come true to be on the team on Sochi. It means the world to me to be a part of this inaugural team going to Sochi for the first Olympics that we’re included in. So many people have put so much into making this sport get to this level where we’re include. So, it’s an honor.

Brita SigourneyThere was definitely less pressure going into tonight. Last night was just such a relief, such a weight off my shoulders. It’s just so nice to have that 100-percent confirmation that I’m going to Russia. So I just came out tonight and wanted to land my run. That was really my only goal and I know I bobbled a little bit, but I’m definitely happy that I put down a cleaner run.

It was nice being in the start gate thinking, ‘Okay, in a few weeks I’m going to be here, but in Russia.’ So I definitely tried to put that in my head so that I’ll be a little more prepared when I get to Sochi.

Devin LoganI’m feeling great. I messed up on my first run, so dropping into the second one I knew I had to really just go all out. I had nothing to lose. I was going to Sochi anyway. I really wanted to get on the podium in pipe because I haven’t yet this year and it really made a difference for me being third today.

I’ve been working all my life for halfpipe and slopestyle and getting two would be amazing. So, I’ll cross my fingers. This definitely helps, so we’ll see what the points come out to be.